News

Governor’s Pension Freeze for UC Deserves a Frosty Response

Byuclafaculty

Excerpt from calpensions.com 2-21-12 Under the new budget proposed by Gov. Brown, the annual state payment to CalPERS drops from $3.5 billion this year to $3.1 billion in the new fiscal year.  The payment falls, at a time most pension costs are rising, because a $404 million payment to CalPERS for California State University pensions is shifted from the state budget to CSU.  The change is part of a proposal that could freeze state support for CSU and UC pensions. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said CSU would be faced with a potential burden “out of proportion” to its limited…

UC-Berkeley Still Somewhat Occupied

Byuclafaculty

Apparently, various “Occupy” demonstrations are still going on at UC-Berkeley: Protesters from Occupy Oakland converged on UC Berkeley Saturday evening, the day after 18 Occupy Cal protesters were detained when their encampment was cleared from in front of Doe Library.  About 40 protesters from Oakland marched down Telegraph Avenue, eventually reaching the International House on Piedmont Avenue at around 11 p.m. An “Occupy the Truth” conference is being held this weekend at International House, and protesters set up five tents to show solidarity with the conference. House administration agreed to let the encampment remain on the lawn overnight as long…

Follow-up to Prior UC-Davis Pepper Story: No no-confidence

Byuclafaculty

From the Sacramento Bee:   A motion asking for a vote of no confidence in UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi failed to gain a majority of votes needed to pass, school officials said tonight.  The motion received 312 yes votes and 697 no votes, out of 2,693 eligible voters – current and retired faculty.  Katehi’s leadership came under widespread scrutiny following last year’s pepper-spraying of Occupy UC Davis protesters… Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/17/4272750/katehi-survives-no-confidence.html Is not having no confidence the same as confidence?  Let’s hear what the Chancellor says: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1snhxCBaDc&w=320&h=195]

Yet More Pepper from Davis

Byuclafaculty

Somehow, the pepper spray story at UC-Davis seems unending.  From the Sacramento Bee: By the time voting closes today, more than 2,600 faculty members at UC Davis will have had an opportunity to weigh in on whether they have confidence in Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi or whether that confidence is gone after November’s pepper-spraying of Occupy UC Davis protesters.  Though nonbinding, the vote on competing motions before the Academic Senate is a rare judgment by faculty on a chancellor’s ability to lead and could influence decisions on Katehi’s future by University of California leaders… There are four competing motions, each…

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China Care Bruins Program

Byuclafaculty

There is an interesting story today in the Daily Bruin about the UCLA China Care Bruins Program.  Excerpt: Six-year-old Ruby Knowlton held her arms up to Kim Tran, asking to be picked up. Smiling fondly, Tran, a second-year biochemistry student, picked the young girl up, swinging her around in a circle. From the way they interacted with one another at a mentorship event at UCLA last Sunday, Ruby and Tran could almost be mistaken for sisters. As Ruby’s “Big Buddy,” Tran has watched her grow for the past year and a half.   The two were paired together through UCLA’s China…